The Way You Fall
by Zume Rokkata
Summary: OLD Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.
1. At First Sight

**Author Notes: **Ahoy there! Okay, pirate moment over. This is a new story from Me! dur. It's a little different in the way that Zexion's the musical one, and Demyx is all depressed. This story is _hopefully _going to be fairly longish. Not to long, but still. Hope you guys enjoy, and tell me what you think. -winkwink-

This was typed in an odd purple colour.

**Dedication: **To Seka-chan, cos I totally stuffed up her AkuRoku, which needs a lot of re-working, and therefore wont be posted for ages...

**Summary: **Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.

**Pairings: **Zemyx. Can I write anything else?

**Suggested Listening : **For once, I haven't got anything for ya. The Reason, by Hoobastank is okay, but it's more for later chapters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Kingdom Hearts, any of it's stuff, or the Ansem Retort quote. All I own are the shnazzy brackets, and they might not even appear.

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter One

At First Sight

* * *

"Zexion?" The receptionist looked up from the card she was holding to check if I was there. She smiled as I walked towards the desk.

"The principal will see you now honey."

I seethed at the term of affection, but said nothing. Hopefully this would all be over soon and I could go back to class and take notes. I liked taking notes. With a generous eye roll, I knocked on Xemnas's door and walked in. He was often known as Mansex, not that it was much of an insult; half the school was gay and the other half didn't mind. Xemnas was sitting at his desk, as always. Standing beside him was Mr Durlo, the guidance counsellor.

"Ah, Mr Sase, thank you for your help in this matter." smirked Xemnas.

_Help, what help?_

"Mr Durlo will take it from here."

The blond man smiled at me, it was creepy.

"Hi Zexion, why don't we go for a walk?"

I shrugged.

"Yeah, whatever."

He smiled again and led me out of the office and down the corridor that led to the counsellor's room. We stopped just outside the door.

"I hear that they're threatening to have you expelled over that fighting incident."

This was news.

"And I know you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"No."

"Well, your grades are almost reason enough to let you stay, but we need to be sure that you aren't going to be a danger to the school population."

"And how exactly do I prove that?"

"I was getting there. We have a new student, he's not exactly in the best shape. We don't know the extent of what he's done, but we know he's depressed and a danger to himself. He needs someone who can befriend him, look after him, make sure he doesn't hurt himself. That's where you come in. All you have to do is look after this kid for the remainder of the year, and the slate will be wiped clean. What do you say?"

It was a decent proposition. What did I have to lose by accepting?

"Yeah, sure. When do I meet this kid?"

"Now." said Mr Durlo, opening the door to his office and ushering me in.

I froze. Sitting in one of the chairs was the most beautiful boy in the fucking_ world._

He was scarily thin, there were huge bags under his eyes and he was deathly pale, yet he was still bloody gorgeous.

"Zexion, this is Demyx Noua, Demyx, this is Zexion Sase."

Demyx just stared at me.

"Uh, hi." I said nervously. Mr Durlo looked like he was about to say something important, but the bell rang.

"School's out. I'll see you two first thing tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning, I skidded into the guidance room, three minutes before 'first thing'. Demyx was already there.

"Hi." was all I could manage. He was wearing dark baggy jeans, and a black hoody that looked huge on his thin frame. He raised his eyebrows at me and threw a glance my way before resuming his intense wall staring. Mr Durlo walked in just after that. Interrupting my study of Demyx's mullet/mohawk thing.

"Zexion, Demyx is in all of your classes, just take him around, help him with everything, and the two of you report back here after school. I'd appreciate it if neither of you got into trouble, but if you do, give the teacher this." he handed me a slip of paper with a message on it:

_Send these two little buggers to_

_my room and I'll deal with them. _

_-Durlo_

I chucked the note in my pocket and picked up my bag.

"C'mon."

Demyx grabbed at the strap of a battered grey satchel. I started towards my first class.

"What've we got first?"

"Uh, maths."

"Oh. Right." his voice was layered, as though there was some secret meaning to his words that only he knew.

I navigated my way through the corridors, nodding to the people I knew, and accepting the weird stares. Maths was, typically, on the other side of the school. Fun. By the time we reached the class room, we were late.

"Sorry Ms Gainsborough, we were talking to Mr Durlo."

"Thank you Zexion, take your seats and get out your note books."

I slid into a seat near the back, and Demyx sat next to me, watching with amusement as I pulled out a notes book, ruler, pencil, three differently coloured pens and two highlighters.

"What?" I asked, bemused. He just shook his head and pulled a book from his bag. Ms Gainsborough started writing on the board, and I ruled up my page, put the date down, titled my work and began to colour code my writing according to it's importance. Next to me, Demyx was simply scribbling down the work as one long paragraph. This day was going to be interesting.

Demyx said very little, answering questions when he had to, and offering nothing. The only time he ever asked anything was at the beginning of the day. Break, English and science passed without much happening. At lunch, I walked over to my group.

"Demyx, this is Riku, Sora, Axel, Marluxia, Larxene, Xigbar, Kairi, Roxas and Naminé. Riku, Sora, Axel, Marluxia, Larxene, Xigbar, Kairi, Roxas and Naminé, this is Demyx." I rolled off.

After the introductions, we all pulled out our lunches and proceeded to eat. Well, nearly all of us. Demyx didn't eat or drink anything. I put it down to nerves. As time went by, I noticed a lot of looks going around. Now, some of us my be known as 'the place where intelligence goes to die', but we can all communicate through glances and glares pretty easily. They were planning something. Just before the bell rang, Axel and Sora practically kidnapped Demyx, and Roxas and Naminé rounded on me.

"What's the deal with him?" asked Roxas in a tone half-way between confusion and growling.

"All I know is that he's depressed and 'a danger to himself'."

"You need to watch him." hissed Roxas, "I don't trust him."

"Who died and made you king?" I spat back protectively, though I don't know why his accusations were so such a big deal to me. Roxas opened his mouth to fight back, but Naminé shushed him.

"You _do_ need to watch him Zexion. We're not worried about what he'd do to you. We're worried about what he could do to himself."

"What do you mean?" I was curious now, nervous too.

"I'm guessing that there's something really not right." she said sadly. "Watch him, Zexion. Find out what you can and try to help him." Then she grabbed Roxas by the arm and dragged him off. I stood there, pondering, until Demyx walked over. He just stood there, waiting, 'til I shook myself and made for our next class. Music.

I was smart and hard-working, so I found most of my classes easy or interesting. My favourite class however, had to be music. I'd been playing piano since I was four. I loved the instrument. When we reached the band room, I pulled out a music folder, then dumped my bag in the corner. I made for the baby grand that stood on the little stage thing. I played happily throughout the first half of the class, then moved away to let someone else have a turn. I cast about for Demyx, and found him slumped over in the corner, staring at the floor. I walked over and sat down beside him.

"So, can you play anything?"

He didn't answer. I took it as a no.

"Well, you have to take something for this class, so what are you going to choose?" I looked at his long fingers "Piano maybe? Or a string instrument of some sort? I bet you'd be good at tha-"

"Shut the fuck up."

"What? I was only suggesting some instruments I thought you might be good a-"

"Shut. The fuck. Up." his voice never wavered from being cold and still.

"I don-"

"I'm not going to take an instrument, okay? Get over it."

His stone cold exterior seemed to be cracking some, and that wasn't something I wanted to see. All I knew of him was that exterior, and that cracking would be like him falling apart. So I dropped the subject, but I noted it down in my mind, just like Naminé had told me to.

Our next class was art. I'd stopped bothering with small talk hours ago, but Roxas, Naminé, Kairi and Marluxia didn't know what a lost cause it was. So as we sat down in the room that always smelled slightly of paint, they began yabbering to him. The teacher wasn't there, so we were allowed to do what ever we wanted, as long as it was art related. Demyx just sat there with his sketch book open in front of him, not drawing anything.

"So Dem, any good at art?" asked Kairi

"Can't draw." he replied quietly, his voice softer towards her then it had ever been with me. _Little bugger_. I thought angrily, vowing to for rest of the lesson.

* * *

Our lessons finished, and Demyx and I walked over to see Mr Durlo.

"No trouble?"

"No."

"Okay then, you're free to go. I'll see you here tomorrow morning." He practically shoved us from the room, Demyx gave a half wave and started to walk off. I watched him go, feeling surprisingly worried. I couldn't get what Naminé had said about a murky past out of my head. I wanted to know where he lived, and somehow, I didn't think he'd tell me. He was just about out of sight, and if I was going to follow him, I'd have to leave right then. Which I did.

I walked behind him, close enough to see him, but not so close that he'd notice. At first I was un-surprised by where he was going. Everyone had to go down the hill to get away from school, and a lot of people turned right after that. After about half an hour however, I was a little confused. Did he mean to go home in such a twisty round-a-bout manner? Did he always take this many detours? I was starting to think he was lost. But was he new to the town, or just to the school? I'd never seen him before, but that didn't mean much. I didn't get out all that often. Maybe he just didn't want to go home. That _would_ make sense if Naminé was right. I looked up at the poor boy in front of me. Or, at least I tried to. He was gone.

"How long were you planning on following me?"

I spun around. Demyx was leaning against a fence, just behind me.

"I-I wasn't following you!" I said.

"Yeah, you were. You wanted to see what my house is like, discover what's really going on in my life. Well, I don't need or want you to. Now go home or else."

It was the most I'd heard him say. And I really didn't want that 'or else' to even be thought of. So, with a resigned sigh, I turned around and began to walk home, throwing a wave over my shoulder.

* * *

**End Notes: **Lawl, Durlo (Luxord) the guidance counsellor, I just couldn't resist. I would love to say that the next chapter will be longer, but it quite probably wont be.

eats exclamation marks, I eat reviews. Please?


	2. Reasons

**Author Notes: **I am _so_ sorry for taking do long to update this one (a whole week - that's a really long time for me) I've had way too much homework lately, and lazy old me just sat there and read fanfiction when I should have been writing... Then I started anther little RikuSora ficlet... Gomen!

Despite the fact that the beginning part was nas-tay to write, I had lots of fun with the end of it. XD  
**  
Dedication: **This one is to the Bu-let (**Zabu-chan**) 'cos she got banned from her comp for a whole week, and it was all my fault! -sobs- Gomen Bu!  
**  
Summary: **Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.

**  
Pairings: **Zemyx, AkuRoku, I think that's it for this chapter...

**Suggested Listening : **Magnolia - The Hush Sound  
**  
Disclaimer: **Let's see; Me no owney: The KH dude(tte)s, the whiteboard incident, gummi bears (dammit), the _Mission Impossible_ theme tune, the fucktard song (it belongs to **Zabu-chan**) or the title. I own nothing. (except an obsession with -BEEP-)

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter Two

Reasons

* * *

Demyx beat me to school the next day too. He was sitting there, staring at the floor. He didn't even look up as I entered.

"Hi." I managed to say before going bright red and hiding behind my fringe, he was just too damned cute. He didn't even reply, just sat there. Don't ask how I know this, because I can't tell you, but something told me that there was more within that stunning blond than you'd expect.

"Any trouble yesterday?" Mr Durlo asked, appearing from the corridor.

"Nup." I replied. He'd know if there had been, he didn't even really need to ask.

"Well, you two have a good day. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

We stared blankly at him.

"Go on, scoot."

We scooted.

That day was much like the day before, Demyx was quiet, took notes untidily, ate nothing at lunch, sat in the corner in music and drew nothing in art. He didn't speak to me unless he absolutely had to, but the looks he sent my way told me everything I needed to know.

School finished, and we walked to the main entrance together. I nodded my good-byes and turned around to go my own way home; I wasn't going to try and follow him home again.

"Zexion?"

I spun around, not so much because I'd heard my name, but because _he'd_ said it.

"I ah, well... See ya." he sighed and walked off. I watched the light bouncing off his dirty blonde hair as he stepped out into the sun.

"See ya." I whispered, a small smile on my lips. He wasn't a rock after all, huh?

* * *

The next morning, I beat Demyx to school. I had to get up insanely early to manage it, but I did. He pushed open the door to Durlo's office and shuffled through, fingering the strap of his bag. His eyes flickered a little when he saw me, but there was no other sign that he was surprised. Back to being rock-man? Not if I could help it.

"Have you finished your maths homework?"

He nodded.

"Did you have any trouble with it?"

he opened and closed his mouth a few times, as though arguing with himself. Finally he answered, in a very small voice.

"A bit."

"Do you want some help?" I shimmied closer and pulled out my maths book, smiling up at him.

"Sure."

It was the first real conversation we'd had. When the bell rang, and Mr Durlo still hadn't turned up, we grabbed our stuff and left anyway. As we started towards the maths room, I saw him lingering in a nearby class room. He saw the slight smile on Demyx's face and a smirk appeared on his own.

"Nice one." he mouthed. I shot him a look.

We walked into the maths room and got our stuff out. Ms Gainsborough went around checking homework.

"Do you understand everything Demyx?" She asked softly.

"I do now." was his simple reply. Simple maybe, but more than his usual 'mm's and 'nah-uh's. Ms Gainsborough raised her eyebrows.

"Zexion helped me." he offered.

Oh, the joys of having a fringe long enough to hide behind.

* * *

English was astonishing, Demyx actually put his hand up to answer a question. Science was even better; there was an interesting incident involving a whiteboard, a pair of too large shoes and some inventive swear words. Beside me, Demyx cracked up laughing. I looked at him, he smiled _at _me.

When we walked to lunch, he raised an arm, waved and said 'Hi guys'. Kairi's eyes nearly fell out of her head.

"So Demyx, gonna eat anything?" asked Roxas about halfway through. Demyx shook his head.

"'m not hungry."

"Oh really?"

I could see this was going to get a bit, er, _difficult_. So I turned to Axel, who was sitting next to me.

"Play dead." I hissed. He promptly fell off his chair backwards.

"You're just an at- AXEL!" Roxas broke off mid-accusation to rush over to Axel's side. The fight was forgotten as Roxas fussed over his boyfriend. A few minutes later I slipped him a couple of gummi bears and whispered 'good boy.'

What that guy would do for sugary consumables...

In music, Demyx sulked a bit, but then again, I'd expected that. I played the piano happily, my eyes wondering over to his skinny, slumped over form. He was so cute when he frowned like that. _...Die thoughts, die!_

"So, we have art next, right?"

"Yup. We have art."

We were walking from the music block, and having an unimportant conversation. Demyx's head turned sideways, staring at me. Maybe I would have said something sweet, but the idiot tripped over his own shoelaces. I grabbed him by the arm, and he winced.

"Sorry!" I said, letting go. He hadn't regained enough balance, and fell over completely. I mentally headdesk'd and sung the fucktard song.

"Sorry!" I yelled.

"Dun matter. It's my fault for wearing such stupid shoes."

My fringe was getting a lot of use today.

By the time we walked into art, we were late.

"Sorry miss, I tripped up." said Demyx apologetically. She nodded, as stunned by his speech as the rest of us.

"That's quite all right."

I pulled out my sketchbook, flipping through it to find a blank page. Demyx's hand shot out and stopped my flicking to show a picture I'd drawn a few nights before.

"This is yours?" he asked softly.

"Uh-huh." I mumbled.

"It's really nice."

"Um, ah, th- well, ta- Thank you." I stuttered, blushing.

Boy, did I have it bad.

* * *

That night, I couldn't get to sleep. It was three o'clock in the morning before I could get Demyx's simple compliment out of my head. Even when I did sleep, I didn't sleep well. When I woke up in the morning, I was way too tired, but the thought of missing out on seeing Demyx scared me enough to make me jump out of bed like Axel when we'd dumped that bucket of water on him a few months ago.

"Morning Dem!" I called out as I skidded through the doors to Mr Durlo's room.

"Morning Zexion." Demyx wasn't as enthusiastic as I'd been, but he smiled at me. The small expression sent my heart into spasms.

"C'mon, lets get to class."

* * *

Music.

The class I'd been worried about all day. Demyx was always grumpier in music. We walked in, and I started talking twenty to the dozen to try and distract the blond beside me. And it worked. It seemed that as long as I was talking, smiling at him, cracking jokes or laughing, Demyx kept that small smile on his face.

"Quiet class! Stop talking! We have a guest speaker today."

I rolled my eyes at Demyx and he snorted.

"He's here to talk about less well known string instruments, such as the harp, the lute and the sitar." The teacher stepped back to allow our 'guest speaker', a tall, long fingered man, to start his lecture.

"This should be interesting," I grinned, turning to Demyx. "Dontcha th-"

Demyx was frozen in his seat.

"Demyx are you okay?"

He didn't answer. The man pulled out an elegant instrument from it's case. Demyx whimpered slightly, stood up shakily from his seat and ran from the room. I just stayed in my chair feeling stunned. Why had he done that? I didn't really know what to do, but I _was_ supposed to be looking after him, and I guess that involved more than just leading him from class to class. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I skidded out the doors of the music block, looking around desperately. _Where had he gone?_

I stood perfectly still, listening. There was a snuffle from my left. _Demyx._ And yes, I know it's pathetic that I can recognise the sound of someone snuffling after knowing them for four days. I didn't think he'd be all that glad to see me, so I sneaked around to where I thought he was. I stuck close to the wall and had to suppress the urge to hum the _Mission Impossible_ theme tune the whole time. I got to the corner of the building and poked my head around. _Dun dun, duh-da, dun dun duh-da, dun dun duh-da, dun. Duh-da-dun. _There he was, leaning against the brick with his head in his hands. I jumped around the corner and stopped in front of him.

"Demyx are you-"

He tried to run off, but I pinned him to the wall. He was taller than me, but skinny and weak.

"Ah, fuck it Zexion, just piss off."

"Nuh-uh. Not happening."

"Why not?"

"I'm not going 'til you tell me why the hell you ran from the room like that. He pulled out a sitar, big deal!"

Demyx froze again, turning his head and averting his eyes.

I noticed just how close we were; Too close. And just how good he smelled; Too good. But Demyx was getting angry with me, defensive.

"And why should I tell _you_? Why should _you_ know?" He turned back to me, glaring and defiant.

I stood up on my tiptoes and leaned in until faces were way to close.

"This is why." I said softly, kissing him before he could argue.

Demyx tasted even better than he smelt, soft and fresh like the sea, but without that salty element that makes everything so thick and heavy and overwhelming. Not that Demyx was underwhelming or anything. He was just _whelming_. Not like a disease that knocked you around then left you feeling empty, not like a drug that was addicting and made you desperate, Demyx was like water, smooth and soft and cool and refreshing and essential and _everywhere_.

Eventually, we broke apart. Both breathless, we sunk down the wall until we were sitting side by side, leaning against the brick.

"That was... unexpected." murmured Demyx.

"In a good way?" I asked nervously, entwining our fingers.

"Yeah, in a good way."

"That's good." I raised our linked hand and kissed the back of his. "That's very good."

He turned at me, an almost accusing look in his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he was getting defensive, but I didn't know why. I squeezed his hand, holding onto it tighter, before he could try and pull away.

"That means I'm glad that you enjoyed that."

His eyes turned cold.

"Whatever." he stood up, "I'm leaving now, if that's all."

I grabbed his arm and pulled him back so he was sitting on my lap.

"Oh no you don't." I whispered in his ear, surprising myself by how happy I was with such intimacy. "You're staying right here. You're _mine_, and It's staying that way, whether I have to fight for you or not."

* * *

**End Notes:** I wasn't originally planning on ending it there, but it was just too cute to resist.

Please, please review! You have no idea how annoying it is to check your email in the morning, find six or so emails from fanfic, have five alerts and only **one** review. You guys like this story enough to want the next chappie, so please write me something, even a 'good' is great. Now I don't mean to guilt trip you (well, I do, but that's beside the point) but getting all these alerts an hardly any reviews makes me reluctant to write, which isn't fair on those guys who do review (Thank you all!)


	3. Ignorance Is Bliss

**Author Notes: **I am sooo sorry it took me so long to update this! Two freaking weeks! I apologise. I do have excuses, but I don't think you guys really want to hear them.

Okay, this chapter, well, I kinda hate it. Not all that much happens, but this chapter had to be here. Do not worry, things get a bit more interesting next chapter.

**Dedication: **To BrokenAnzaran, for all the pb-cups she's given me, and all the times I've been at the end of my tether with a chapter, gone to check my email and found a lovely little review or PM from her, making me want to write.****

Summary: Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.

**Pairings: **Zemyx (no duh), AkuRoku, SoRiku and two other surprise pairings that I shall not reveal here...

**Suggested Listening : **I got nothing guys. Sorry. Does anyone actually care about these?

**Disclaimer: **Shock horror! I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I don't own a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g. Got it? I. Own. Nothing. Don't sue me.

**Warnings:** I was looking at fanfic the other day and thinking, gee, maybe I should put warnings on my stuff, you know, to say that its boy love an that. But really, If you have a problem with boy love, what the hell are you doing on fanfic . net?

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter Three

Ignorance Is Bliss

* * *

School was over, we'd spent the last two lessons behind the music block. Durlo would sort this out for us, this was what he'd wanted right? Someone to support Demyx. We waited until most people had gone before we left our hiding place.

"See you tomorrow babe." I said just before we went our separate ways. I raised our connected hands, and kissed his fingers.

"See you tomorrow." Demyx agreed. I winked at him and turned, regretfully dropping his hand. It wasn't until I was halfway home that I realised I didn't know his cell phone number, or if he had a cell phone at all. Boy, I was in for a long night.

* * *

"So," Demyx began quietly as we walked to lunch the next day. "are we going to tell them all about us?"

I flashed him a grin.

"As much as I'd like to keep you to myself, it would be very irresponsible, and they might not be all that happy if we didn't tell them, so yes, I guess we should."

"And how exactly do we tell them?" Demyx seemed to be going over ideas in his head. I'm guessing most of them involved not being murdered by Roxas.

"Oh, this'll do." I murmured as we walked in to the cafeteria.

"Huh?"

I just winked at him. When we reached the table, I sat down quickly, and before Demyx had a chance to find his own seat, I pulled him onto my lap. Everybody at the table froze for a moment, then Kairi and Sora threw themselves at us yelling 'Kawaii!'. Larxene hooted from her spot on Xigbar's lap. _Hypocrite_. Naminé smiled at us, and Roxas was absolutely fuming. Sora and Kai glomped us a bit too enthusiastically, and the four of us toppled backwards off the seat. Marluxia and Riku rolled their eyes and came to drag their respective partners off us.

"Now, now Kai-chan." teased the rosette, "I understand how happy you are, but if Zexi had wanted to sit on the floor, he would have sat there to start off with."

For the rest of lunch, Kairi would spontaneously yell 'cute' in various languages, Larxene would throw chips at us, then blame it on Sora, who would then throw chips at Xigbar. Axel caught the chips in mid air and ate them, and Naminé just smiled. Essentially, everyone seemed happy, apart from Roxas, who was glaring at Demyx as though he was planning murder, which was not freaking okay. Maybe we needed a little talk?

As the end of lunch rolled around, I motioned to Roxas. He clambered up and followed me to the corner.

"Demyx is my boyfriend." I growled. "Leave him the hell alone."

"He doesn't care about you! He's an attention seeking loser who'll just drag you down to his level!"

"Get over us, or get over yourself, but either way, _get over it_."

We were face to face now, hands curled into fists. It probably would have come to blows if Axel hadn't stepped in. He laid a hand on Roxas' shoulder

"Calm down baby." he said softly, this didn't surprise me, Axel was ridiculously protective of his little blondie. What did surprise me however, was the hand on my own shoulder.

"Hush love, don't fight over me."

I spun around to see Demyx, the tender words sounding odd coming from him. I liked it all the same. Axel and Roxas were arguing quietly behind us. Over us, whatever. I didn't care how long Roxas and I had been friends, he seriously needed to get his act together. Oh well, it would just take time I guess. And hopefully, we had all the time in the world.

* * *

And so, in one way or another, three weeks passed. Roxas slowly warmed up to Demyx, and Demyx himself seemed to warm up. He seemed so much brighter, lighter, less abrasive.

We were all at Riku's house, 'studying'. In truth, we were playing video games, tickling each other and trying to keep the cola away from an already hyper Sora, whilst drinking it ourselves.

"Die! Die dammit!" yelled Axel, brandishing his controller as he desperately tried to beat Roxas in whatever game they were playing. Roxas leant over and kissed Axel on the cheek, causing him to drop the controller.

"Oi!" Not fair!" the red-head objected, as **GAME OVER **scrolled across his half of the screen. Roxas smirked, then squealed as Axel tackled him. Sora jumped at the chance to play, and dragged Kairi with him. I checked to see that Mr Hyper wasn't looking and pulled my drink from its hiding place, taking a quick swig and putting it back again.

"I'm going to get some more 'water'" announced Larxene as she left the games room. I rolled my eyes and flopped down onto the freaking_ huge_ couch I'd claimed. Demyx toyed with a strand of my hair, braiding it or something. I ran my thumb along the dark bruises under his eye.

"You look tired."

"I didn't sleep very well."

"Do you ever?" I sighed, those bruises had been there every single day I could remember.

"No, not really."

I was about to ask why, but a slightly damp Larxene burst through the door

"I didn't do it!" she just about screamed "I swear, I didn't do it!"

"Guilty conscience much?" asked Riku. "Now, what exactly is it that you didn't do?"

"I was just pouring myself a drink, and the cola bottle exploded!"

"COLA?" Sora's head shot up. "You guys have cola!"

"No, no cola, not a drop." said Larxene, back-pedalling furiously, but Sora was already on his way down to the kitchen. Riku chased after him, and his delighted squeals of 'coooooooooola!' echoed through the house.

"Nice Lark, nice."

* * *

It took Riku, Axel, Xigbar and Marluxia told hold down a screaming Sora as we tipped the last of the cola down the sink. He nearly broke down, but Roxas challenged him to a duel on the PS2, and for the rest of the night we watched the Ultimate Twin Battle. Eventually, through exhaustion and lack of cola, we all fell asleep. Well, nearly all of us. Sora and Roxas lay on the floor, still clutching their controllers, with Riku and Axel nearby. Kairi and Marluxia were flomped on one small couch, Larxene and Xigbar on the other. Naminé had a beanbag, and Demyx and I had still had control of the monster couch. The two of us were awake a lot longer than the others, but we fell asleep as well, about an hour later.

About two hours after that, I woke up. Demyx was asleep beside me, but only just. He was tossing and turning, curling up, then lashing out. An incoherent stream of syllables flew from his lips, then he jerked. One second he was moving about a lot, but fast asleep, the next second he was wide awake and frozen. Sitting bolt upright, starring at nothing and looking scarily pale.

"Dem, are you okay."

His head shot round to look at me.

"I'm fine." he said stiffly.

"No, you're not. That was a stupid question, let me try again. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

I raised my eyebrows and stared at him 'til he gave in.

"Nightmares."

"About what?" I asked softly.

"Things."

"Is that why you don't sleep, you have nightmares every night?" It sounded ridiculous, nightmares didn't go on for this long, surely.

"Yeah, sorta."

"Why don't you tell me things Demyx?" I said, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him close. "I want to know these things. Really, I do."

"I do tell you things!" retorted Demyx. I rolled my eyes.

"You never even told me why you sprinted from the room in music that time." I said accusingly, I'd forgotten about that, up until now.

"Just... Memories." he replied carefully.

"_What_ memories Demyx." I said exasperatedly. "I'm not a mind reader."

"You wouldn't understand." he grumbled, looking away.

"Then explain it to me Dem. I _want_ to get it, I _want_ to understand."

He looked sceptical.

"Really, I do. Please Dem?"

He sighed and turned back to me.

"When I was little, maybe seven or eight, I'm not sure, I was walking around in town, and I saw this sitar in the window of a music shop. I talked to the guy in the shop, and he said he'd teach me. I knew my parents wouldn't pay for lessons or anything, but this dude said I could just help out in the shop, you know, cleaning and that."

"And..." I prompted when he stopped talking.

"And he taught me, after about a year or so, I was getting really good, and seeing as no-one was offering to buy this sitar, he gave it to me. Too much money and not enough sense I guess, but I was happy. Anyway, I took the sitar home, and my parents had a fit. They said all sorts of things, that I must have stolen it, that if the playing the sitar was all I could accomplish then I would never get anywhere, that sitar was stupid, and so was I if I could play one. They said other stuff as well, but in the end my dad just took the sitar and beat the shit out of me with it."

A horrified expression was all I could muster.

"I mean, there have been other incidents, but that one was one of the biggies."

"But, but..." I couldn't speak properly.

"It's just the world works sometimes; get used to it." his voice was off-hand, but bitter at the same time.

"Oh, Dem." I said managing to pull him even closer. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

Demyx didn't reply, just looked down guiltily.

"You were worried I'd freak weren't you?" I whispered in his ear. He nodded. "Well, it's a bit shocking, and the fact that anyone would hurt you makes my blood boil, but I still love you. There's very little you or anyone else could do to stop that, very little."

"You, lo-"

Demyx was interrupted by a loud snore from Kairi. We looked at each other and collapsed in silent laughter. When Demyx finally fell asleep (with an aching stomach I'm guessing), he stayed that way. He slept peacefully until ten o'clock when a cup of coffee was shoved under his nose. I know because I was awake the whole time. Hypocritical, I know, but still.

* * *

Although I was happy to know about Demyx's past - I reasoned as we walked down the corridors at school the next Monday, (he'd told me more this morning) - what he'd told me just kept on circulating through my head. Alternately making my blood boil, then freeze, then making me want to cry what they say is true, Ignorance is bliss.

* * *

**End Notes:** I know I didn't write that well, but I tried. And I was sick! I luffles reviews, and those who review. Feel free to get pissy with me for taking so long to update and/or writing badly.

Lawl, yup. KaiLuxia and LarBar. If you liked the KaiLuxia pairing please tell me, it might encourage me to write the KaiLuxia fic I have planned.

P.S. Anyone got any ideas for Kairi's surname?

By the way, I am now recruiting fangirls to go and 'talk' to Dem's parents. Nobody beats him with a sitar! (Let me hear you say rarrr!)


	4. No

**Author Notes: **Whoa, an early update, weird... Okay, this chapter is a little better than last chapter. Don't abandon me yet guys! Although this is an early update, next weeks deadline is still Sunday, as always. I've been plot bunnied to freaking death guys, I'm drowning in them. But plot bunnies are good for you, 'cos it means more shnazzy stories.  
**  
Dedication: **To Seka-chan, for glomping me half to death when I finally got home. To BrokenAnzaran, for all those pb-cups and fabulous reviews. To Zabu-chan, for telling me to go and write this 'Before your fangirls kill you' (And for dedicating a whole story to me -happy smile-).

Thank you guys.  
**  
Summary: **Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.****

Pairings: Zemyx, that's it for this chapter.****

Suggested Listening : Cat and Mouse - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Infra-red - Placebo  
**  
Disclaimer: **You actually thought for a moment that I owned them? Keep freaking dreaming guys, I know I am.

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter Four

No

* * *

_"Hey Dem!"_

_"Dem?"_

_"Demyx!"_

_I crouched down beside Demyx's still form. Various weapons littered the ground around him, but there wasn't even a bruise on him._

_"Demyx!" I cried, shaking him, desperate for him to wake up, to smile, to be alive. "Demyx..." I closed my eyes to try and stem the flow of tears that ran down my face. When I opened them, even his body was gone._

_"Demyx no!"_

"No what?"

"Whaa!" My eyes shot open, Demyx was there, alive, safe, smiling. I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder.

"Zexi... What's wrong?"

I snuffled and looked up at him sheepishly.

"Nightmares?"

"About what Zexi, I'm not a mind reader." he mimicked my words from a few days ago.

"Losing you." I whispered. He shook his head and grinned.

"You don't have to worry about that."

"I don't?"

"No." He shifted me around so I was sitting on his lap and leaning against him. He wrapped his arms around me and held _me_ close. I was more then a little surprised. Usually Demyx was - to use a very fangirl-ish and slightly inappropriate term - a bit of a uke.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked as he reached up to stroke my hair.

"Nothing. I'm just feeling very lovey at the moment, make the most of it." he said teasingly.

"Don't worry, I will." I put on my 'chibi' face, reached up and tugged on his sleeve. "Can I has a coo... kie..."

Demyx grabbed his sleeve and pulled up to his hand as far as it would go, but the damage was done. I'd seen the tiny scars crisscrossing his wrist, some of them still red and fresh. I yanked at his other sleeve, dragging it back to see the extent of his injuries. The scars ran all the way up his arms until they were covered by fabric. _God, Demyx, no. _My fingers trembled, but I had to see,I _had_ to see how far he'd gone.

"T-take your shirt off Demyx."

"What, no!"

"Demyx, take your freaking shirt off, now." I glared at him viciously. Demyx looked out over the empty school field, saw no-one near and took his shirt off with a sigh. I swallowed the million curses that bubbled up as I looked at the marks across his skin. I always felt like decking anyone who hurt Demyx in any way, and that applied to Demyx himself.

"You fucktard." I was so, so scared right now. Half of me wanted to burst into tears and bury my face in his hair, and the other half of me wanted to get very angry. Problem is, I have a wee bit of a temper, and the angry side of me won.

"Excuse me, but what?"

"Fucktard; a fucking moronic, idiotic, dumb-ass retard. In other words, you." As I said the words, something dawned on me, something that hurt more than seeing the scars even.

"Oi-"

"Some of these are still fresh Demyx. Is this all because of me? I-is this whole relationship a hoax?"

"No, of course not! Why would you think that?"

"Because you never tell me anything, you wont tell me what's happening. I don't know why you would do this, and as far as I've seen, the only major thing that's happened to you lately is me!" I was that close to sobbing.

Demyx just starred at the ground, all traces of good humour gone. Although, I guess they'd been gone since this whole crazy conversation started.

"Are you going to tell me why you did... this."

"No."

And through the anger shone fear. I'm really, _really_ worried that it's me, no matter what he says, or that it's someone else, I wanted to know whose hurting _my_ Demyx, and then I wanted to knock them the fuck out. Most of all, I'm scared that this is really serious, and that either Demyx, or whoever is causing him all this pain is going to go to far someday. I can't lose Demyx. I just can't.

"Zexion, I'm sorry oka-"

I cut him off.

"I don't want to hear it right now Demyx, I really don't. I'm going to go see Durlo now, we need to talk." Durlo knew, I was sure of it. He was playing me like a flute, everything had been plotted out, him not turning up that morning, he'd probably even got the sitar man in. I was so wrapped up in my fear and anger, that I didn't notice Demyx's eyes, searing holes into me.

"That's all this is isn't? Durlo got you to go out with me, you two have been planning this all along. And now it's all too much and you just can't be stuffed putting up with me any longer. Well, don't worry about orchestrating some brilliant plan to ditch me. We're breaking up now. Good bye Zexion." he pulled his shirt on and walked away, looking as lost and shitty as the day I'd met him. I was too stunned, too hurt by his accusations and sudden mood swing to argue.

_"No,"_ I whispered once he'd left. _"No!"_

* * *

It took me a few minutes to actually move, but when I did, I was stalking towards Durlo's office with a look in my eyes that had midgets running from me in fear. When I reached his room, I kicked the door open (without knocking, duh) and slammed my hands down on his desk. He looked up with a shocked look in his eyes.

"You fucking knew, you fucking knew what he was doing to himself, why didn't you tell me, you son of a bitch?"

"Language Zexion. You seem to have forgotten that I am a teacher and you are still treading on thin ice where be expelled is concerned."

"Right now Durlo, I don't give a fuck about being expelled. All I care about is the fact that you've been playing me like a goddamn flute, and it's lost me my freaking boyfriend!"

He rolled his eyes smugly "If you could calm down for a minute and explain what this is all about then maybe I could help you."

"You knew everything about him. Didn't you." I accused him.

"That I did."

I was stunned. I'd expected for him to know, in fact, I was sure of it, but I didn't expect him to be so offhand. "Then why didn't you do anything? Have you seen him, have you actually seen what he's done to himself?"

"No, I'll admit I haven't seen anything, but I was informed."

"So, you knew exactly what he was doing, but decided to just leave it?"

"No, I had planned to let you find out for yourself. My thoughts were that if I let you get close to him, then he stopped for you, it might last. If we just made him stop, it was going to fix nothing."

"Well your plan's f-" I received a death glare "-lecked. Demyx has broken up with me, he now hates my guts and is in more pain then before." We stared each other down for a minute, until my phone started ringing. I flicked it open.

"Yes, what?" I growled. No answer, stupid prank calls "Look certain people have got me pretty pissed off and angry right now, and if this call is what I think is, then fuck off. I don't want to talk to a retard like you. In fact I hate retards like you!" And hung up on the stupid prank caller.

"Hey, do you have a database of students cell phone numbers? I want to find out who that was."

"I have some of them."

"Can you search for this number?" I handed him my phone, with the call history on the screen. He clicked away on his computer for a few minutes, having to wait for a five freaking minutes as he logged in. Oh well, his fault for still having a PC instead of a mac. While we waiting, he decided to talk.

"Do you still hate me?"

"A little, but you seem to be the ally I have in this. You're a freaking guidance counsellor, I'll need your help to er, help Demyx."

"That's good. Now, lets look for that number." He tapped a few more keys and raised his eyebrows before swinging the monitor around so I could see.

_Aw fuck._

'Noua, Demyx'

I slammed my head into the desk.

"I bet he really hates you now."

"Gee, thanks."

"The truth is a valuable resource."

"Durlo, I am completely flecked. My boyfriend and I had one hell of a fight, and then I inadvertently told him to fuck off and that he was a retard, I need support dammit."

"Well, I guess you should probably go and find him."

"Durlo, he's shittier than the hat dude right now. (1) I would end up in pieces."

"I guess you're right there, now-" he was cut off as a small-ish girl rocketed through the door

"Mr Durlo, we need help right away, someone's gone and, and thrown themselves off the top of E block!"

Durlo was out of his seat and at the door before I could blink.

"Zexion, you're coming too."

"Huh, what?"

"Attempted suicide, now get the hell out of your chair and come with me."

"O-kay..." I stood up and followed him, even when he started running.

There was a huge crowd beside E block. More than a few girls walked away crying, and a heap of people were laughing, I felt like knocking them out. That could've been my Demyx lying there! Apart from that though, there was nothing but panicked silence and terrified whispers. Durlo made it through the crowd easily, but a shorty like me had to really shove to get in. I resorted to elbows in the end.

"Oi!"

"Move it!"

Then someone caught me by the elbow. It was Naminé, Roxas was standing right next to her.

"Zexion, I don't think you should go in there." Her voice was worried, Roxas' too. Roxas reached over and grabbed my other arm, his eyes imploring me to stay

I tried to pull away, but they held on. "Durlo told me to."

We were pretty close to the centre of the crowd, and as a few people moved, I was able to see a few strands of blond hair. Durlo shifted a little to check some other vital, revealing more of the boy. His eyes were closed, but I knew exactly what colour they were.

I froze.

_No, Demyx no!_

* * *

**End Notes: **How about you guys be really nice to me and not point out how long their lunchtime is? It would make me a very happy authoress.

Wow, we're over half-way there. Many thanks to the guys still with me so far. Thanks for not losing faith last chap.

And no, I will not tell you whether or not Demyx is alive. You'll just have to wait and see.


	5. Of Retards And Heartbreak

**Author Notes: **Wholey Shamoley. This thing got typed up in just over 24 hours, and I'm sick. Go me!

Heh, I feel kinda ad for leaving on that cliffhanger for so long, but I wont pretend it wasn't fun, cos it was.

I think this is my favourite chapter so far, I know it's my longest. Beware the angst and stuff in this chapter... PLus it's kinda vague in places, for obvious reasons.  
**  
Dedication: **This one goes to 'muma-chan' for quite possibly the worst review ever.  
**  
Summary: **Zexion knows De,yx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.  
**  
Pairings: **AkuRoku, Soriku, Kailuxia, LarBar, and, surprise, surprise, Zemyx.  
**  
Suggested Listening: **My Sanctuary - Utada Hikaru

Breaking The Habit - Linkin Park

The Reason - Hobostank****

Disclaimer: If I owned this, Disney would run away from the angst, taking Sora and Riku with them, if they took Sora, Roxas wouldn't exist, which would make Axel very unhappy. Therefore he would burn everything in the vicinity. Seeing as no-one in this story is suffering from burns, Axel isn't unhappy because Roxas doesn't exist because Disney ran off with Sora because Me. No. Own.

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter Five

Of Retards And Heartbreak

* * *

For a moment, I stood there, still and terrified, then I began to move. I wrenched myself from Naminé and Roxas' grip, half diving towards my fallen angel. It was a good thing I was wearing jeans, else the concrete would have taken my kneecaps off. I scrabbled over to Demyx's head, gingerly placing my hand on his pale cheek. Durlo was still moving around on his knees, checking this, that and the other thing.

"Is, is he... You know... Is he...?" I couldn't make the words come out right. Durlo reached over and took my free hand. He rested it on Demyx's chest, right above his heart. My breathing quickly neared hyperventilation as I felt for a heartbeat. _Please, please, please!_

Nothing.

"Oh god, Demyx no!" I sobbed, squeezing my eyes shut in an attempt to stem my tears. "Please Demyx! No, no, n-"

_Ba-dum._

_Ba-dum._

_Ba-dum._

"Oh thank gods!" I threw myself at him, burying my head in his chest and threading my fingers through his hair. "Oh Demyx-"

"Zexion, get the hell off him!" Durlo grabbed me by the shoulder and flung me away from my darling blond. "Are you _trying_ to suffocate him?"

"N-no." I hung my head. I was supposed to be the sensible one, and there I was, throwing all my weight onto Demyx's body. Naminé and Roxas crouched down beside me, Axel stood behind them, a hand clutched protectively on his own blond's shoulder. Marluxia was holding a sobbing Kairi and a stoney eyed Riku tightened his hold on a very still Sora. Naminé pulled out a handkerchief and took my hands. I looked down at what she was doing; cleaning something red off them. I glanced back over to Demyx, only now seeing the blood on the ground, the thick liquid that matted his hair.

Sirens started blaring and after that it all got a bit fuzzy. Flashing lights, stretchers, Naminé trying to lead me away and me screaming to be allowed to go with Demyx, none of it really sunk in. We got to the hospital, and suddenly, Demyx was somewhere else, away from me. I stood in the middle of a white lobby/corridor thing, feeling utterly lost.

* * *

Durlo walked out of some room or another and glanced around. He spotted me and pulled a cell phone from his pocket. _My cell phone_. He flipped it open and clicked away, putting it to his ear a few seconds later. At any other time I would have been annoyed that he was using my cell phone without permission, but with all that had happened, I was too out of it to care.

"Zexion! Heads up!" He called a couple of minutes later, and tossed me my phone. I caught it automatically and shoved it in my own pocket.

"When can I see Demyx?" I asked him once he was close enough to hear me without me having to shout.

"Not for a while yet. But I'm not even going to try and get you to go home. That's why I called your parents to tell them where you are, and Naminé to come and keep you company."

"Right." My voice was dead. This had to be the absolute worst day of my life; I find out my boyfriend cuts himself, then I have a huge fight with said boyfriend, who then breaks up with me. I accidentally say I hate my (ex)boyfriend who decides it would be fun to throw himself off a freaking building.

I stared at the ground, my head throbbed from the tears I was trying so hard to hold back. I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw a flash of blond hair. Unsurprisingly I jumped about a mile in the air... Okay, so it was only a few centimetres, but it _felt_ like a mile.

"Oh Zexi." sighed Naminé as she wrapped her arms around me. I hugged her back, desperately trying to compose myself.

"How are the others?" I asked her.

"Roxas feels like a complete asshole, Axel thinks it's his fault 'cos he saw Demyx storming up the E block stairs and didn't stop him 'cos he thought that's where his next class was. Kairi's still sobbing her heart out, but Marly's looking after her, so that's okay. Sora had a minor breakdown, but he's okay now. Larxene's on the rampage, trying to beat the crap out of the people who are saying 'Good, it's one less emo to deal with' and stuff like that." Naminé listed our group members on her fingers.

"Trying?"

"Xigbar's following her around. He's letting her have at least one slap though; he's pretty pissed off at those guys too."

"And Riku?" I asked to keep my mind off the fact that losing Demyx was a very real possibility."

"He's-"

"Right here."

I spun around to find Riku standing behind me, wearing a black leather jacket and exceedingly messy hair. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I had to take Sora home first, that's why I took so long. I didn't have time to tie my hair up before I put my motorbike helmet on."

"Oh. Okay."

There was an awkward silence, during which I started shaking. It began as a tiny shivering in my fingers and progressed until my whole body was shuddering. Naminé and Riku exchanged glances. Naminé led me over to a bench and made me sat down while Riku disappeared down a corridor. Less then a minute later, he was back, pressing a bottle of lemonade into my hands.

"Drink."

I did as I was told, almost spilling my drink, but catching it at the last minute.

"You guys don't have to be here." I said guiltily.

"Yes we do." they said together, sitting down as if to prove their point.

"Look at you Zexion." said Naminé in a 'hush now baby' kind of voice. "You're a complete mess. We're not going to leave you."

I sniffled a little and hung my head.

"Hey." soothed Riku. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'd be just as bad as you are now if anything ever happened to Sora. It's okay to show you care."

"Yeah," I mumbled. "But it's all my fault."

"How so?" Naminé tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tilted her head to the side, she looked like a cross between a puppy and a psychiatrist. At any other time I would have laughed.

"W-well, we were sitting on the field, and I feel asleep. I had nightmares and when I woke up, Demyx was all nice and huggy."

"I'm sorry, I don't quite see how that makes this all your fault." said Riku with raised eyebrows.

"Um, well, I was acting silly and tugged on his sleeve and... and..." I shut my eyes for a minute and Naminé squeezed my shoulder. "Cuts. All over his torso and arms, everywhere. Some of them were... were still fresh."

The shock on both of their faces was clear.

"I kinda freaked out and he took something the wrong way... H-he broke up with me." It was taking all my self control to not slam my head into something.

"Wait, what!" growled Riku. "He jumped because _he_ broke up with _you_?"

"N-no, it gets worse."

There was a muffled 'oh god' from someone, I'm not sure who.

"I went to talk to Durlo, and he called me. He'd never given me his number, so I didn't know it was him. He didn't answer when I said hello, so I thought it was one of those prank callers. I got all shitty with him and said I hated him and that. I had no idea who he was. And then, then there was this girl running in to say that someone had jumped..." I trailed off miserably, the moment of recognition playing over and over in my mind.

* * *

"Zexion?"

I looked up to see Durlo.

"The doctors want to talk to you about Demyx."

"Um, okay." I disentangled myself from the snoring mass that was Naminé, Riku and Sora, who had joined us about an hour ago. I followed him into a small room.

"This is Dr Valentine."

I nodded at the doctor, he had overly long, black hair and a rather tattered coat.

"Zexion Sase?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"I understand you were Mr Noua's boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"How often did you see him?"

"Er, everyday mostly, except on weekends, I didn't see him that often on the weekends."

"How would you describe his eating habits?"

"Um..." I thought back. Truth be told, I had never once seen Demyx eat. At all. "I've never seen him eat."

"I guessed as much." said Dr Valentine "He has a BMI of around 16.5, it's not helping his recovery any."

I blanched. 16.5! That was scary. Oh god, how could I have not made him eat? No wonder he was so tired, no wonder he was always so weak.

"Oh god. I... Can I... Please... Oh god... _Dem!"_ I raised my head, Dr Valentine was walking out the door with his back to me. Um, hello? I'm having an emotional breakdown here! A little sympathy would be nice. Thankfully, Durlo was still in the room.

"When... when can I see him?"

"Soon," Durlo replied.

* * *

They let me see him a few hours later. He was so bandaged and bruised that it broke my heart to look at him, all those new injuries adding to the old ones. I pulled a chair as close as I could and took his hand. The one without the IV thing in it.

_How could my baby do this?_

* * *

Riku, Naminé and Sora, tried and failed to get me to leave at midnight. The nurses attempted to shoo me away a few times, but I shot them dagger glances until they gave up.

"We'll be back in the morning okay?" Naminé fussed as they were about to leave. "Don't stay awake all night, _please_?"

I nodded, knowing full well That I wouldn't get a wink of sleep.

All night long I held his hand, remembering all the other times I'd held it. The hospital clothes left his arms mostly uncovered and my eyes continued to linger on the cuts. _Fucking idiot._

* * *

When Naminé arrived about nine the next morning and saw the bags under my eyes, she freaked.

"Zexion Oliver Sase." she used the Silent Voice Of Doom on me. "You will lay down on that bed over there and sleep, or gods help me I will have Riku drag you kicking and screaming from this hospital and keep you away until Demyx has been discharged!"

I gulped and reluctantly let go of my baby's hand, climbing onto the bed next to his and curling up in a fetal position.

"I'll be here the whole time, and I'll wake you up if anything happens." Naminé soothed when she saw the worry on my face. "Just sleep Zexion, you need it."

* * *

The next couple of days went like that; I'd stay awake until Naminé forced me to sleep, then she'd practically have to force-feed me. Other than that, all my time was spent holding Demyx's hand.

It was on the... Third? Fourth? Fifth? Day that I heard him mumble something.

"Zexi?"

"I'm here baby." I whispered softly. A few minutes later, his gummy eyes fluttered open, focusing on my face. I squeezed his hand and leaned forward to brush the hair off his forehead and plant a kiss there.

"What are you doing here?" he rasped and I helped him drink some water. When he was done, he flopped back down onto the pillows, I ran my thumb along the soft skin under his eyes, wiping away the sleep dust.

"Why are you here?" he asked again.

I replied as softly as I could manage.

"I hate you Demyx."

His brow furrowed in confusion. Everything I'd done and said since he'd woken up pointed to the opposite.

"I hate you for doing this to yourself." I said, pressing on one of his fresher cuts, making him wince. "I hate you for telling me nothing. I hate you for thinking I was the kind of bastard who would fake a relationship with you. I hate you for jumping off that goddamn building. I hate you for giving me the worst few days of my entire life."

He hung his head, small sobs shaking his chest.

"When, when I saw you there, unconscious and bleeding, when I thought you were dead... It broke my heart Demyx. When I realised you'd never eaten in front of me and I'd never noticed, when I realised I could have made you eat and made you recover quicker, when I realised that _this is all my fault_, It nearly killed me Demyx, really, it did."

His glistening eyes found mine.

"Sorry." he barely managed to get the word out before sobs took him over. I wrapped my arms around him carefully.

"I know baby, that's why I'm here. You broke my heart, but you're still _my Demyx_. I wouldn't leave you for the world. You _are_ my world"

* * *

It was a few days later when I next spoke to Durlo. He came into Demyx's room, but my angel was out like a light, I watched him with a slight smile, he was being discharged the next day.

"Gets out soon doesn't he?"

"Yeah, tomorrow."

Silence.

"Is he going to be allowed back to school?"

"Yeah, we knew what we were taking on when we let him transfer. I'm more worried about where he's going to live."

"Why?"

"Did he ever talk to you about his past?"

"Yeah, his parents were really abusive, but he lives with his aunt now, doesn't he?"

"No Zexion, he doesn't."

"What!"

"He still lives with his parents."

"But... but he said that they'd gotten in trouble with the police and he gone to live with his aunt!"

"Zexion..." Durlo sighed, rubbing his forehead. "The police never knew what was going on in the Noua household, Demyx never told anyone but you."

"Then how did you find out?"

"When he jumped, I was checking for injuries, some of them, they weren't from the fall nor were they things he could have done himself. I doubted he'd been beaten up at school, you would have ended up in my office for breaking who-ever-had-don-it's necks. So I looked into it, that's where I've been the last wee while."

It hit me then, why he was so shaky emotionally, why he was so shitty and withdrawn.

"He can stay with me!"

Durlo's eyes lit up. "I was hoping you'd say that."

* * *

**End Notes: **There you go guys, Dem's alive. You can put the rusty sporks away now.

Lawl, Zexion's middle name is Oliver. Don't ask me why...

Just a coupla things. If you guys have me or my story on alert, but don't review, please do. I work really hard to get these chapters out fot you guys and it would be really nice if you'd put just a couple of minutes into telling me what you think.

Secondly... I don't want to sound pushy or anything, but if we have any budding artists in the audience who would like to draw any of the scenes or anything from this or any of my other stories, feel free to do so and tell me. I'll try and link them up. I get to see the way you guys see this and you get free advertising. -grin-

Wow, we're almost there guys! Not many chapters left. Eep!


	6. What You Mean To Me

**Author Notes: **Here we go lovelies! Chapter Six... This is chapter is _the_ chapter. The whole story grew from this little chapter... Or, one particular scene in this chapter... Guess which one?

Eep. This is the last chapter, after this there is only the epilogue...  
**  
Dedication: **To Roxas-Has-A-Stick, for her undying amazing-ness.  
**  
Summary: **Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces... (Gees guys, if you don't know that by now, I'm worried)  
**  
Pairings: **Zemyx.  
**  
Suggested Listening : **Cat and Mouse - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Infra-red - Placebo

Once In Every Lifetime - Jem

That's The Way It Is - Celine Dion  
**  
Disclaimer: **There was a time when I owned Kingdom Hearts in all it's boy-loving glory. Can anyone say delusional?

* * *

The Way You Fall

Chapter Six

What You Mean To Me

* * *

_I don't care if the world is burning to the ground, as long as you're in my arms, __**my**__ world is beautiful. _

* * *

Then next morning, Demyx was apprehensive. He tried no to show it, but I could tell. I hadn't told him about my talk with Durlo, and as far as he knew, he was going home, back to those bastards that had the nerve to call themselves parents. I guess I really should have told him, but I was still freaking angry and wanted to punish him... Just a little. Luckily, by the time we left, he was dosed up on painkillers and acting rather dopey. _Note to self: Demyx is very cute when dopey._ I led him to Axel's car and sat in the back with him while Axel drove. As soon as I slid into my seat, he leaned over and snuggled up to me. _Note to self: Demyx is also very huggy when dopey. _The whole drive, he never looked up, slowly creeping closer and closer to me until he was practically sitting on my lap. Axel pulled up in the driveway of my house - which happens to be kinda big - and opened my door.

"We're here Demyx."

He didn't answer, just buried his head even further into my chest, refusing to even glance upwards.

"Demyx! C'mon, up."

"Nuu! Dun wanna!" he half sobbed, curling up into a ball. I felt bad for tricking him.

"'m scared." he whimpered, and my throat clogged up.

"Demyx, you're safe here."

"Nuuu-"

"Demyx, look!" I raised his head a little. Blinked.

"This isn't where I live."

"It is now."

He raised an eyebrow. I leant down and whispered in his ear.

"You're not going back there, ever."

"O-okay."

"C'mon, mom's cooking dinner."

* * *

My mom fussed over Demyx no end; she filled him up with soup and fresh bread, then half-dragged him into the guest room and buried him into the mountain of pillows and blankets on the bed. By the time she was finished, all I could see of Demyx was his blond mohullet.

"Night Dem, I'll dig you out in the morning." I grinned at him from the doorway then turned off the light and shut the door, making for my own room. I hadn't been in there for days.

"Zexion?" my dad called as I walked past his office.

"Yeah dad?" I caught the edge of the door frame and poked my head in.

"C'mere, I haven't seen you in an age."

"You saw me at dinner." I walked in anyways and sat down on his desk, something I've done since I was little.

"I couldn't see you through the adorable blond fluffball that was clinging to you."

"Dad!"

"What?"

"Please," I hid my face in my hands "Please don't call my boyfriend adorable."

"You call him adorable all the time."

"Yeah, but I'm his boyfriend, I have adjective rights. You are my father, you do _not_ have adjective rights."

"Your mother seems to have adjective rights."

"She's mom. Mom's have adjective rights by default."

"That's a bit sexist."

"So's giving birth, but I don't see you complaining about that."

"No, you don't." He ruffled my hair, grinning as I batted away his hand "Now go be a smart alec somewhere else. I'll see you in the morning."

"'k dad, night."

_Man, compared to Dem's parents, mine are fantastic. Maybe we could adop- Eww!_

* * *

The next morning I had to get mom to help me release Demyx from the bed, and as soon as she left the room, we grabbed almost all of the blankets and pillows and stuffed them in a cupboard, locking it securely.

"Phew, that's heaps better. Your mom's really nice though."

My heart twisted. What the hell was I supposed to say to that?

"Cornflakes?"

_Smooth Zexion, real smooth._

"Sure..."

* * *

A few days later, I was lying in my room, bored out of my freaking wits. It had been a unanimous decision to let me stay at home as long as Demyx did. Even Durlo agreed (he had developed a nasty habit of turning up at the dinner table without invitation, not that mom minded), but I didn't want to crowd Demyx, so for the last hour I'd been staring at the ceiling, resisting the urge to tackle glomp the blond at the other end of the hall. All my school work had been finished an age ago, I really had nothing to do.

"I give up! Demyx, prepare to be tackle glomped!" I cried, jumping up and running down the hallway, probably because I'd eaten about four bars of chocolate in my boredom.

When I threw open his door, he was sitting on his bed, facing away from me and holding his shirt in his hands. He seemed almost in a trance. As normal, I cringed at the marks on his back, then my brow creased. I moved towards him silently, placing a hand in his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin.

"This bruise wasn't here the other day."

"H-huh? R-really?" his attempt at an even tone failed miserably.

"Mmm, neither was this one. Or this one. Come to think of it, a whole lot of these bruises are new." I growled at him. Demyx combed his fingers through his hair nervously and I grabbed his wrist, twisting him to look at me.

"What the fuck Demyx? Seriously; What. The. Fuck?"

He tried to turn his head, but I grabbed his chin.

"I'm sorry." he half-whimpered. At any other time I would have been giving him the biggest hug imaginable for being so damn cute. Not now.

"Like fuck you're sorry! You put me through freaking hell, and now _this_!" I yanked him off the bed and he hit the floor with a thud

"Like fuck you're sorry Demyx. Like fuck."

I stormed from the room, slamming the door as hard as I could.

"Little fucker." I fumed.

"Zexion?" my mom stuck her head out of a doorway. "What's wrong?"

"Demyx." I spat, then closed my eyes, trying to get a hold on my temper. My mom didn't deserve to be yelled at, she'd done nothing wrong. "Demyx has just acted like the biggest prick imaginable and I'm very pissed off."

Mom shook her head. "I love you sweetie, if there's anything I can do, then just say."

"Love you too mom."

* * *

Demyx didn't show for dinner that night, Durlo on the other hand, did.

"I count three people." he said pensively. "Where would blondie be?"

"He's in his room." my mom replied, grabbing another plate from the cupboard.

"And he is there why?"

"He's not feeling ver-"

"He's a little bastard is why." I cut in.

"Zexion, language!" my dad glared and pointed his fork at me. I pulled it from his hand and stabbed it into the butter dish.

"In what way was he a bastard?" Durlo completely ignored my odd behaviour.

"He started again, bruises this time."

Durlo nodded, needing no further explanation. "Thanks but no thanks Mrs Sase, Im going to go and talk to Demyx." he waved away the plate of food and made for the stairs.

"Any thing you want me to tell him?" Durlo stopped with foot foot on the first step

"Yeah, tell him I hate him."

My parents 'Zexion!'d in shock, but Durlo just nodded.

* * *

"Zexion?" Durlo stuck his head into the library.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?

"Go ahead."

"Thanks." he took a seat next to me. "Listen, about Demyx, this isn't the easiest thing for him to deal with. It's hard to stop just like that." he snapped his fingers for effect. "But he is trying. Give him another chance. You love him, he loves you; you just need to help him is all. I know it's a big job, but it _is_ worth it. Forgive him, so he can forgive himself."

I nodded. My temper was out of control and he drove me to the brink of sanity sometimes, but Demyx _was_ worth it.

"I'll try."

"Thank you Zexion. It means a lot, to a lot of people. Myself included. See ya." He ruffled my hair, probably just to annoy me, and left the room. I sighed dramatically and shut my book. I really needed sleep.

* * *

Next morning I dragged myself downstairs to the piano, I hadn't played in an age and I really needed to practice. I'd been at it for about half an hour when I spotted Demyx out of the corner of my eye. He'd sidled into the room, still wearing the overly large pyjamas I'd given him. They were the right length, but hung off his skinny frame. I brought the piece I was playing to a close and turned to look at him, remembering my promise from last night.

"C'mere."

"Huh?"

"Come. Here."

He walked towards me apprehensively and I stood up too. When he reached me, I picked him up bridal style.

"Whaa-a?"

I winked at him and laid him down on the top of our grand.

"Zexion?"

"You can hear better from there."

"But I'll break it."

"No you wont. You weigh less than a flea, plus, it's reinforced."

"Um, okay..."

"Put your head down, you'll hear better."

"'kay."

I sat back down and started playing. For quite some time, Demyx was utterly silent. He looked unbelievably cute, curled up on the top of the piano with his over-size pyjamas. I smiled and reached forward to flick through my music folder.

"Dyustilume?" Demyx blurted out his question and ducked his head.

"Sorry, I didn't catch a word of that."

"Do you still love me? I know you hate me, but do you love me as well?"

I stroked his hair, trying to find the right way to say what I needed to.

"I... don't _love_ you Demyx."

His eyes scrunched up.

"To say that I loved you, _just_ loved you, would be ridiculously inadequate. You mean so much more to me than that. So much more."

"Really?"

"Really."

He smiled. I hadn't seen that smile in so long, if ever.

"I feel the same way about you."

"I know babes. That's why I'm not smacking you 'round the head at the moment."

He snorted, then sat up a little and shifted towards me. "Um, I know I've been a little shit, but, um, would you kiss me?"

I smirked. "Oh, I don't know about that. I think _you_ should kiss _me._"

"Now _that,_ I can do."

* * *

That night, Demyx and I lay on the ground beside the piano, our heads touching. We'd dragged the spare blankets and pillows from the cupboard in Demyx's room and spread them out on the floor.

"Demyx?"

"Ya-huh?" he was happier now, it was only hours since I'd told him how I felt, and already, he was happy.

"I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"No more nonsense, okay? I mean it."

"Nonsense?"

"No more of this." I brushed my fingers along a scar. "Or of this." I pressed lightly on a bruise. "And definitely no more of this." I tapped his stitches.

"Okay. No more."

"Promise?"

"Promise. But only if you promise to 'not love' me forever."

"I promise."

He leaned over and kissed me, sealing our oaths. It wasn't any special day, it wasn't our anything'th anniversary, it wasn't even _midnight_, but Demyx was mine and I was his and believe me, I was going to _make_ this night special.

* * *

**End Notes:** Interpret that last bit however you want... I'm not saying nothing.

If you guys enjoyed this chapter, then thank **Seka-chan**, she practically beat me to death when I told her (the day before my update) that I hadn't even started this chapter.

Don't ask why Zexion's piano was reinforced...

I feel like there should be more here... Oh well.

Keep those reviews coming guys! We're almost finished!


	7. Epilogue

**Author Note: **This is it, the very last (and very short) chapter... a.k.a. the epilogue. I was seriously considering being horribly sadisitc and killing one of them... But I decided to be nice instead.

**Dedication:** To none other than **Roxas-Has-A-Stick**, for following and loving this story almost as much as I do.

**Summary:** Zexion knows that Demyx is a danger to himself, but that doesn't mean he wants to watch him fall to pieces.

**Pairings:** Zemyx

**Suggested Listening:** The Reason - Hobostank

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, even though I have loved and cherished this little thing... I dun own it. Buggerdamn.

* * *

The Way You Fall

Epilogue

* * *

I walk up to the front door of our apartment, unlocking it and entering. I dump my bag on the floor and inhale the scent. _Demyx._ I should be used to it by now, unable to smell it. But I still do. I love this time of the day. Just me and Demyx's scent.

I smile as I looked around the spotless flat. I never would have guessed Demyx was a clean freak, but he is. Not the obsessive kind of freak who bursts into tears at the smallest speck of dirt, but the kind of person who will quite happily mop the floors and pick up all the junk I leave lying around.

Good thing one of us is tidy...

It's raining outside, so I start gathering my stuff and put it by the window. No doubt that Demyx will come dancing along the street, and I want to see it. Books, pens, paper, laptop; I seem to have almost everything I need. Except snacks. Gotta have snacks. The kitchen lounge and dinning room are open plan, the only thing separating the kitchen form the rest of the room is a floating breakfast bar. Floating as in not connected to a wall or other cabinets, not floating in the air... That would just be weird.

As I walk over, I realise that something's not quite right. There's something on the breakfast bar. It doesn't make sense for there to be one thing there when everything else is spotless. So, of course, I have to go and look. It's a white envelope.

I open the envelope, I guess I'm allowed to, seeing as it has my name on the front.

_Zexion,_

_I can easily remember the day you first met me. I thought you were a stuck up idiot who was far too nosy  
for his own good. You following me home only cemented that in my mind. But you stuck by me. You didn't  
care that I was shittier than the hat dude. That, Zexi, was the best thing that ever happened to me. And  
then, that day when you followed me outside and actually acted like you cared... That was amazing. Even  
when I got grumpy with you, you still acted the same. I loved it._

_I was so sad back then, you were my only way of smiling. I was so freaking depressed. And writing this,  
revisiting that time in my mind... It's hard feeling that way again. But I'll be fine. Cos as soon as I'm finished,  
I'll leave this on the breakfast bar for you to read. And thinking of that makes me think of you, and you  
make me smile._

_What I really, truly want to say... Is thank you. I've said it a hundred times before, but never said exactly what for._

_Thank you Zexion, for saving me, helping me, loving me, giving me someone to love. I know it was hard on  
you... Really hard, and I guess my, er, 'relapse' a coupla years back must have been horrible. But that wont  
happen again. Because I will never, ever hurt you. I wont scare you or worry you, I wont make you fuss. I'll  
be my own person, strong, independent... But totally yours... Of course._

_I just want you to know that you're the first and last things I think of each day. And every time I dance in  
the rain, or smile and feel good, I remember that you're to thank._

_So thank you baby and remember... I 'don't love you' either._

_-Dem_

_P.S. We're having roast chicken for tea tonight, so if you're going to cook yourself a snack, make sure the  
oven's empty by the time I get home._

**End Notes: **It was fluffy, short and... -sobs- IT'S OVER! TT.TT

I am really, really quite sad about it. But also really proud of myself, that was the first big thing that I've finished (TPOS dun count, that was midget).

It's almost as though we have this little community here at TWYF, and I'll be sad to leave. But, hopefully, this story will live on in... Oh gods, I sound cheesy.

Thank you so much to all you guys who reviewed, and if you've been reading, but haven't reviewed, a little review right here at the ned, telling me what you thought would be fantastic.

I love you all!


End file.
